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This homemade Hot Dog Chili is the perfect topping for hot dogs. The beef is so tender and the sauce is slightly sweet. We top our dogs off with this chili sauce, shredded cheddar, and a sprinkling of yellow onions. The perfect chili dog, if you ask me!
Hot dogs are one of the easiest summer dinners and tossing them on the grill, squirting on some mustard, and piling on some relish is a definite vibe.
But, let’s talk chili dogs.
Sure, a little more work than a plain hot dog, but adding my hot dog chili to your hot dog is a sure fire way to get the fam excited for dinner time.
Sign me up for a dozen.
Our hot dog chili sauce is super easy to whip up and it just takes dogs to another level.
You might be wondering the difference between hot dog chili and traditional chili…read on to find out why hot dog chili is it’s own delicious thing, quite different from the usual chili.
♥ What We Love About This Recipe:
- Chili Dogs: The best part about making hot dog chili is obviously the chili dogs! We use this same recipe in our air fryer chili dogs. The air fryer is a great way to make hot dogs indoors!
- Easy: This chili without beans is a quick and easy to whip up! It’s a lot simpler when you aren’t preparing and cooking the beans to go with it. Plus you’ve probably already got most of the ingredients like the ketchup!
- Made Fresh: Sure, in a pinch a can of chili will work just fine but our freshly made hot dog chili is so much better!
Ingredient Notes:
Ground Beef – This hot dog chili recipe starts with a pound of lean ground beef! This meat sauce is savory and a little sweet!
Beef Broth – For cooking the ground beef and making the sauce. Use a good quality beef broth here to get the best results!
Tomato Sauce – You can use any brand of canned tomato sauce you prefer for this. You could also add in a little bit of concentrated tomato paste here if you want extra tomato flavor!
Ketchup – More tomato goodness! Plus it’s a bit sweet and tangy. Any brand of ketchup is okay to use here! We usually go with Heinz.
Seasoning – The chili seasonings include chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and cumin. If you want spicy hot dog chili you could add a bit of cayenne pepper in with the seasoning.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
My Favorite Skillet!
Cast iron skillets are my favorite! They heat so evenly, get piping hot for searing, and nothing is better than bacon fried in a cast iron skillet.
How to Make Hot Dog Chili:
Ground Beef: To achieve a finer texture of beef in hot dog chili, start by adding the ground beef and the beef broth to a skillet together. Use a fork to mash the beef really finely. The broth helps this process and you end up with a finer texture. If you like the beef a bit chunkier, brown the meat first and then add the broth.
Sauce: Add the tomato sauce, ketchup, and seasonings to the skillet and bring to a simmer.
Finish: Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until the chili is a thick as you’d like. We likes ours fairly thick to keep things a bit less messy when eating!
Freezing & Storage Instructions:
To refrigerate the chili let it cool before transferring to an airtight container or a zip top bag. This hot dog chili recipe should last for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can reheat it on the stove or in the microwave!
This hot dog chili can also be frozen! It’ll last for up to a few months if stored in a freezer safe bag or container. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating it on the stove or in the microwave.
Recipe FAQ:
Hot dog chili has a sweeter taste and is made with ketchup.
Traditional chili tends to have a spicier flavor and chunkier texture.
Nope! Hot dog chili is traditionally made with only beef. You could use a chili with beans if you prefer.
The chili sauce for this recipe is made with a combination of ketchup, tomato sauce, beef broth, and spices. It’s like chili but not quite as spicy. If you do like spicy chili dogs you could add a little cayenne pepper.
Serving Suggestions:
We suggest topping your hot dog with a squirt of mustard, a heaping spoonful of this hot dog chili recipe, a sprinkle of diced onion, and as much shredded cheddar as your heart desires. Chili dog perfection!
Helpful Tip!
Achieving a finer beef texture
- Use a lean ground beef since you won’t be draining the fat.
- Add the liquid in with the beef and mash with a fork until you have a very fine texture.
- Keep mashing with the fork until the meat is mostly browned and then switch over to a spatula as you normally would.
Leftover Hack!
Hot dog chili is sweeter than traditional chili, so you likely won’t want to eat a bowl full of it, but it’s delicious served over french fries with a bit of cheddar and sliced jalapeno.
Hot Dog Chili
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ cup beef broth
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Add the beef and beef broth to a deep skillet over medium heat and use a fork to break the meat into small pieces, smashing the meat with the fork to create a finer texture than a traditional ground meat.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet with the beef and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until chili has thickened to your liking.
- Serve over hot dogs.
Sue says
I love this recipe! Reminds me of sloppy joes. I am going to try your hamburger bun recipe next.
Karly Campbell says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Red says
Has anyone cooked the hotdogs in the chili? Is that even legal? I think I will try that tonight but I am ascared.
Karly says
I’m sorry, but I’m going to have to report you for even considering this. Haha, just kidding – it’s totally legal as far as I know! I prefer my hot dogs a bit well done on the grill or in the air fryer, but if you wanted to toss them in the chili, I think that would eliminate a step quite nicely!
Patricia says
Love the chili recipe. Found it on your site a few years back and used it since. Hubby thinks it is the best chili recipe for his hot dogs. I like it on hot dogs, but it is great on just about any kind of pasta topped with cheese and onions. Give me some cornbread and a bowl of this chili, mmmm.
Karly says
Oh yes, perfect for a chili mac! I’m so glad you enjoy it! 🙂
Rebecca Richardson says
Great hot dog chilli recipe. I use water instead of broth. It was perfect!!!
Tj Denton says
Delicious, but the recipe calls for beef broth and the video doesn’t show that. I made it without the broth and it was good.
Ron wooters says
Getting ready to make for granddaughters birthday party..hopefully it’ll be a hit ! Thanks
Karly says
Happy Birthday to your granddaughter! Hopefully she loved the hot dogs! 🙂
Linda Blackburn says
This is the best hot dog chili ever!
Karly says
Thanks, Linda! 🙂
Frieda Hargitt says
Once you have the spices down pat, you’ll just need to cook your food on the stove. I usually find that the stovetop works best for me as long as I have a stove that can handle hot pans. You’ll want to cook your chili at about 160 degrees so it will be nice and hot.
Ray says
I use a hand blender to make the beef break up. It does a very good job of it.
Karly says
Great idea, Ray!
Marc says
Too much ketchup back it down or leave it out all together, more salt and pepper to have a more chili taste , but a good base start !
iDon says
Added the onions to the chili to soften them up, topped off with cheddar & monterey jack mix. Yummo!! Thanks for the recipe!
Sarah says
I came across this recipe and purposely had hot dogs for dinner because it sounded so good! The chili did not disappoint. It was so good and yes, like another review mentioned, it does remind me of Zesto’s footlongs.
Anyways, this is going to be our go to chili from now on. I’m thinking chili cheese fries are going to be amazing with it too. Thank you!
Sarah says
Wouldn’t you know, I forgot to rate it. ????
5 stars, baby! Haha.
Karly says
That’s awesome! Thanks, Sarah! 🙂
Kelley Felton says
I am a chili dog connoisseur…and a lot of hot dog chili recipes include beans. Yuck…I’m not eating chilli con Carne on a hot dog. This is absolutely the best hot dog sauce recipe I’ve ever made. It reminds me of the sauce I grew up with in West Virginia. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipe!!
Karly says
Oh yay! I love to hear that! Thanks, Kelley! 🙂
Renee Elbel says
Love this recipe is is very similar to our favorite Zesto’s foot
long
Susan Leavitt says
I have been using a recipe similar to this but this sounds a little better so I think I’ll change mine to yours! However the recipe I used made a simple Coleslaw topping to add that special touch, even grandkids would jump in to have it.
Coleslaw topping – 1/2 head cabbage washed & shredded, 1 red onion sliced, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 lemon juiced.
Karly says
Ooh, that slaw sounds amazing on a chili dog! Thanks for sharing!